Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration : COMESA EU SAARC

Contents Preface. 1. Regionalism in the world economy. 2. Growth of regional cooperation and integration in Africa. 3. A case study of COMESA. 4. European Union a model for regional integration. 5. Economic partnership agreements. 6. European Union Africa towards true partnership. 7. European Union COMESA relations country wise analysis. 8. Regional Cooperation and Integration in South Asia experience of SAARC. 9. India Africa partners for all seasons. 10. India COMESA relations exploring South South Cooperation. 11. Conclusions. Appendices 1. COMESA treaty (text of important articles). 2. The Lome convention. 3. The Cotonou agreement at a glance. 4. Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA). 5. European Development Fund (EDF). Bibliography. Index. Prompted by the uncertain outcome of the GATT/Uruguay Round negotiations regional agreements mushroomed in different parts of the world. The collapse of the Soviet Union gave a renewed impulse to economic interactions at the expense of political and strategic preoccupations. Inter regional co operation reduces economic and social fragmentation created by national frontiers and hence facilitates integrated development of the participating states. In Africa as in other parts of the world regional co operation is a major factor in internal and international politics. This book focuses on the regional co operation efforts in the three continents of the world viz. Africa Asia and Europe and their role in promoting and strengthening African capacities. It examines various dimensions of regional co operation with focus on bilateral relations between a community of highly developed states (European Union) and a group of developing countries viz. COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa). The latter part of the book focuses on inter regional co operation between South Asian countries particularly India and COMESA. These two regions of the world share a common colonial legacy and are striving to improve the socio economic conditions of their people. Inter regional cooperation and integration is a vital necessity in a world witnessing trade liberalisation foreign investments and reduced role of governments in economic affairs. 376 pp.…